Many devices, including handheld electronic devices such as phones and tablets, must be manufactured to withstand rigorous use and handling. In addition to being strong and damage resistant, it is also desirable that the weight of such devices is minimized where possible. Some conventional applications use a composite, laminate material that includes a polymer substrate laminated on opposite sides with a metallic substrate. Such a sandwich structure weighs less than an all metallic substrate of the same thickness, but is stronger and more rigid than a polymer-only substrate. However, the conventional laminate structure just described has several drawbacks. Most notably, the metallic substrate may readily delaminate from the polymer substrate. This is especially persistent in instances in which the structure is subjected to bending forces.